


Two Left Feet

by insanityinside



Category: Dororo (Anime 2019), Dororo (Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Confrontations, Crossover, Families of Choice, Gen, Sort Of, backstory related angst, complicated feelings, just a little
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:15:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25715653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/insanityinside/pseuds/insanityinside
Summary: There's a man in the village who can fix just about anything. He might be able to offer some help. But things get awkward when he recognizes his old master's work...Or: Manga!Hyakkimaru runs into Kaname
Relationships: Dororo & Hyakkimaru (Dororo), Hyakkimaru & Jukai (Dororo), Hyakkimaru & Kaname (Dororo), Jukai & Kaname (Dororo)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so I've been wanting to see Hyakki and Kaname meet since I first saw episode 3. Over time, more and more ideas for this scenario emerged. But eventually I realized that what I really want is an encounter between Kaname and Manga!Hyakki. At last, I have come to terms with the fact that I'm just gonna have to write it myself.
> 
> Anyway, this story is set within the manga continuity (just after the shark arc), except I'm doing my best to fit Kaname and Jukai's anime-specific backstory into it. I once wanted to make it as canon-compliant as possible, but then I had another idea, so it's going to get a bit AU-ish near the end.
> 
> As for the title, it'll start making sense in the last chapter, I promise.

‘Are you two looking for something?’

Dororo stopped, holding the bundle protectively closer to his chest.

‘Huh? I dunno...’ Dororo looked up ‘Are we?’

Hyakkimaru shifted his weight on his crutches and they both turned around to see the short, plump woman with greying hair sitting on the porch of a little house.

‘Actually,’ the older boy said ‘we could use a place to stay for the night.’

Oh. Right. Walking like this all day had to be exhausting. Of course he’d want to rest under a roof, and earlier than usual, too.

‘Well,’ said the old woman ‘We don’t have an inn around here. But you should ask around over there.’ She waved a hand vaguely in the direction of the village. ‘Someone’s bound to have a place for you.’

‘Thanks.’ But before they could walk away, another idea seemed to occur to him. ‘Oh. And we’ve got something here that needs fixing.’ Dororo adjusted his grip on the thing he was carrying. It was pretty large and he was already a little tired from carrying it, but they couldn’t just leave it and Hyakkimaru kind of had his hands full right now. ‘Do you know anyone who might lend us the tools?’

‘Oh!’ The woman grinned, excited. ‘I know someone who can help with that!’

The two travellers exchanged a look.

‘He’s a strange young man,’ the woman went on ‘Mostly keeps to himself. But he’s good at what he does. And he can repair just about anything.’

‘This seems worth a try. He might do a better job than I would.’

‘Well, he lives all the way at the other end of the village. There’s a shortcut through the woods, but...’ The woman looked the two of them up and down ‘I wouldn’t use it if I were you. In your condition, and with a small child, too...’

‘Hey!’ Dororo stomped his foot. ‘Don’t underestimate us! You don’t know us! Bro’s killed more than twenty demons so far. And, as for me, - ’

‘What’s wrong with the woods, anyway?’ Hyakkimaru placed a crutch between the child and the old lady.

‘Oh, you don’t wanna go in there,’ The woman lowered her voice. ‘Especially not after dark, but even by daylight it’s dangerous. A lot of folks have gone in there and never come back. And those who do tell some very strange tales, indeed... They say,’ she whispered ‘that there are _monsters_ in there.’

‘You hear that, Bro? It could be another one of your demons...’

He nodded.

‘We’ll have to check it out later.’

And with that he walked on down the main road into the village.

* * *

The man who appeared in the door when it finally opened appeared to be somewhere in his thirties. He had a kind but tired looking face.

‘Are you Kaname?’

‘Yes, that’s me,’ said the craftsman ‘How can I help you?’

It was then that Hyakkimaru noticed it. The man was leaning heavily on the doorframe with one hand and on a cane with the other...

‘Bro! His leg!’ Dororo whispered.

‘ _I know!_ ’ Hyakkimaru shot back telepathically ‘ _Don’t be rude about it!_ ’

The man’s right leg was indeed missing from the knee down, replaced with a wobbly stick that seemed barely able to support his weight.

‘Actually...’

* * *

The travellers were dirty, dressed in rags and clearly tired from a long journey. And they were both so young. The little kid could have been as young as five or six, although it was just as likely that he was a little older and small for his age due to malnutrition. The older boy could have been as old as twenty, though he was probably much younger than that, but had to grow up fast. He was far too young to have that look about him, like someone who has already seen enough violence and tragedy for a lifetime. He carried a sword, although Kaname wasn’t sure how he could possibly use it, with crutches occupying both his hands.

‘... I’m not sure you can,’ the young man said, and Kaname realized instatnly what it was that he had meant to ask for.

And he really wasn’t sure he’d be able to do that for him. It wasn’t exactly that he didn’t know how. He could remember enough, and what he couldn’t, he could probably figure out on his own. But was he _ready_ to remember?

‘Yes, he can!’ hissed the little boy, stepping in front of his companion and sticking his bare foot in the door. He held up the large package he’d been carrying. ‘We’ve got something to show you,’ he said ‘It’s broken, but if you can fix it,’ He grinned slyly. ‘that can be a reward in its own right!’

‘We can pay for it, of course,’ the older boy added, looking a little embarrassed, ‘If you can repair it, that is.’

But could he? Kaname took a slow deep breath. Then he said,

‘We’ll see about it in the morning. It’ll be dark soon and you look tired. Why don’t you stay at my house tonight?’

At least he could do that much fot them.

* * *

Kaname led them through the workshop, where tools of various shapes and sizes hung on the walls and curiously shaped pieces of wood and metal were laid out neatly on a large table. Hyakkimaru did not recognize all the objects, but the place itself felt familiar. They entered a room which, by the look of it, served as a kitchen, living area and possibly a bedroom.

‘It’s a nice place,’ Hyakkimaru observed, ‘Reminds me of home.’

‘Do sit down,’ said Kaname, as he placed a kettle of water over the fire ‘You must be really tired.’

Dororo plopped down immediately on the floor near the fireplace, dropping his package on the ground. Hyakkimaru carefully laid down his crutches and sword before joining. Kaname looked down at the array and winced slightly, as though something about it brought back bad memories.

‘You’re some kind of samurai?’ he asked.

‘That’s complicated, to be honest. The swords are mostly for self-defense. And for killing demons, of course. I don’t like the samurai any more than you do.’

Kaname sat down next to the two boys.

‘Demons?’ he asked, furrowing his brow.

‘Yeah!’ Dororo said ‘We travel all over the country looking for them! Just the other day we fought those two huge monster sharks... ’

‘Wait!’ Hyakkimaru turned to face the younger boy. ‘There were _two_? What happened to the other one?’

Kaname stared at both of them, his eyes wide. Hyakkimaru didn’t even have to look at him to know this. He wasn’t even sure he needed his supernatural senses to feel the shock radiating from the man.

‘Oh...’ Dororo tried to sound nonchalant. ‘It threatened to sink our boat.’ He looked up and grinned, satisfied with his audience’s reactions. ‘You were taking your time and Itachi was being a coward, so I had to take care of it myself.’

‘T-that was terribly reckless! You could’ve been hurt! How many times do I have to tell you this isn’t a game?’

‘Is that what happened...’ Kaname spoke up, a bit uncertainly ‘to your leg? Did a demon-?’

Hyakkimaru knew that he didn’t really have to explain himself to a stranger, but for some reason he felt that this man deserved to know the truth.

‘Not exactly,’ he said ‘It’s kind of a long story.’

At this point the water started to boil and Kaname turned away for a moment to prepare three cups of tea.

‘See, this is why I’ve been telling you to stop following me,’ Hyakkimaru hissed at Dororo ‘This time it really could have ended badly for you.’

‘Nice try,’ said the kid ‘But Itachi was after me, not you, so I would have ended up there anyway. And _then_ I’d have to deal with the bandits, the soldiers, the crazy shark guy _and_ both sharks, all by myself, without even a sword of my own, and _that_ might actually give me some trouble.’ He stuck out his tongue. ‘And speaking of swords...’

When Kaname handed out the cups of tea, Hyakkimaru gratefully accepted his, took a sip and began to explain what he knew about the tragic circumstances of his birth, his curse and how he was undoing it, bit by bit, by hunting down the demons.

Kaname looked him up and down.

‘You must be nearly done,’ he said.

‘Hah, I wish,’ Hyakkimaru retorted, ‘I’m barely halfway there. I’m still missing an arm, a leg and an eye, among other things.’

‘An arm?’ Kaname furrowed his brow ‘But...’

Hyakkimaru unwrapped the bandage on his left forearm.

‘Here. A look at this might help you with the thing I need you to repair.’

A gash from when he’d used that arm to block an attack a few months earlier revealed the wood of the prosthetic underneath the flesh-colored covering. Kaname leaned over to get a closer look. He spent a long moment silently examining Hyakkimaru’s hand, his eyes slowly growing wider.

‘Who made this?’ he whispered at last. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No kudos yet, huh? Oh well. Here's part 2 anyway: The confrontation.

‘Who made this?’

Kaname was clearly impressed, but, at the same time, there was a hint of panic in his voice, as though he’d been dreading this moment. As though this was something he’d been expecting, and it had still caught him off guard. Hyakkimaru was used to all kinds of reactions at this point, from fear to pity, to disgust, to accusations of witchcraft, but he was not sure how to respond to this.

‘Uh... My dad made them for me... The man who raised me... Why?’

‘I only know of one man capable of making something like this.’ Kaname’s voice was calm, but it was clearly taking some effort to keep it that way.

‘Why are you mad at him?’ Dororo piped up before Hyakkimaru could come up with a more polite way of asking ‘Did he refuse to help you or something?’

‘What?! No...’ Kaname said with a small nervous laugh, then, suddenly serious, ‘Even though I thought he would...

‘I was a child, not much older than you, Dororo. I was an orphan. I was poor. I had no way to pay the doctor, but when my leg was injured so badly that it couldn’t be saved, he offered to replace it. When I said I didn’t want to be in debt for the rest of my life, he offered me a chance to work it off. As soon as I could run again, I was doing chores and running errands for the doctor. I gathered herbs and helped to keep his tools organized. I stayed at the doctor’s house the whole time and often watched him at work. Eventually, I realized: I wasn’t paying off a debt. I was learning a trade. When I mentioned this, the doctor said that he considered my debt fully paid already, but if I wanted, he could take me on as an apprentice.

‘It was a good life. I was happy to work with the doctor, to learn from him, to help others... But then I heard the rumors...’ The smile which had appeared on Kaname’s face as he talked was suddenly gone. ‘I heard that this man, who was almost like a father to me, had once been an executioner for Lord Shiba.

‘When I confronted him, he made no attempt to deny anything. He didn’t try do downplay the cruelty. He just admitted to everything. This was the man who had killed my father.’ His voice was trembling now. ‘Have you ever been so mad at someone that you could just kill them?’

A lot had happened since that day, but it had still been barely a year ago, and the memory was still fresh in Hyakkimaru’s mind.

‘They killed someone I loved.’

The quick response startled Kaname.

‘I... I’d hesitate if you asked me this today,’ he said, ‘But, yes. This was all I could think about at the moment... ’ He paused for a short but uncomfortable moment. ‘In the end, I didn’t kill him. I realized that too many people needed him alive. But I couldn’t just stay there and pretend none of this had ever happened. I could no longer accept any of this man’s kindness. I even threw away the prosthetic leg he’d made for me. I left the town, I tried to get as far away as I could.’

Too many things about the story seemed oddly familiar. Hyakkimaru was slowly begining to put the pieces together, and he wasn’t sure he liked the picture that emerged. There was the prosthetic right leg, whose owner Dad never wanted to talk about. The war with the Shiba clan was ancient history to him, but people in his hometown did talk about it sometimes, usually in a whisper. And finally there was the fact that his Dad really was the only person he knew of who could build artificial limbs that moved like real ones. He wasn’t gonna like the answer, was he? But he had to ask anyway.

‘That man... Who was he?’

‘His name is Jukai... You know him, don’t you?’

‘But this isn’t right! This doesn’t sound like my Dad at all!’

Kaname sighed.

‘I know. I didn’t want to believe it either. But it’s true, he said so himself.’

‘No. I won’t believe this.’

‘You said he gave you those swords. Do you know where he’d got them?’

What did this have to do with anything? Hyakkimaru tried to remember.

‘He said a general had given them to him.’ He hesitated. ‘I’d assumed they were a reward for good service in an army...’

The response was quick and merciless, ‘ _Whose_ army? What _kind_ of service?’

* * *

He really was still a kid after all. Vulnerable and close to tears, Hyakkimaru really didn’t look a day over fifteen. Kaname wished he hadn’t said all of this. Dororo scooted over to his friend and patted him on the shoulder.

‘What’s wrong, Bro?’ he asked ‘War’s a nasty thing, but it’s not like you didn’t know that already.’ In what terrible world was a child saying this supposed to be comforting?!

‘You don’t get it,’ the older boy said ‘We’re not talking about soldiers on a battlefield. Lots of civilians died in that war. Women, children, innocent bystanders... ’

‘So it was like kind of like that whole business at Banmon?’

Hyakkimaru’s voice trembled.

‘They say... They say it was a lot worse.’ He turned to Kaname ‘And that’s why I refuse to believe it! I sense people’s auras, you know?’ he said ‘And I did before I could see or hear. I’ve never seen my Dad’s face, but I know he has the soul of a decent person. I can imagine him as a soldier, maybe, but not as someone who tortured and maimed people who did nothing wrong.’

Kaname didn’t say ‘But then you can tell I’m not lying.’

‘But you’re not lying, are you?’ Hyakkimaru said with a heavy sigh.

‘It’s not your fault,’ said Kaname ‘Perhaps it’s nobody’s fault. But I don’t think I’ll be able to help you.’

After that he offered his guests some supper, which they ate in awkward silence. It wasn’t that there was nothing left to say, but none of them was ready to continue the conversation.

* * *

Tired though he was, Hyakkimaru had trouble falling asleep that night. There was just too much to process. He wanted to believe that there must have been some misunderstanding, but the more he thought about it, the more unlikely it seemed. He thought back to his childhood.

There had always been all sorts of strange rumors going around about doctor Jukai, but Hyakkimaru had always assumed it was because uneducated folk didn’t understand the things he did. In their stories the doctor was a mostly benevolent yet frightening figure, almost like some kind of wizard. They said the he could bring people back from the brink of death, and that he could send them right back there if he wanted to. That he could cause pain as easily as take it away. They even said he had built a mechanical boy that played and grew like a real child. Well, Hyakkimaru knew the truth behind _that_ one, of course, and sometimes wondered what they’d made of his departure. But what if there was more to the other, more frightening stories than superstition and fear of the unknown? What if the blades he carried were stained with innocent blood long before he was even born?

He remembered how, when he was recovering from his last surgery, Dad would tell him repeatedly to only use his new weapons for good. He had been so serious then, and the then-inexplicable sense of regret in his aura had seemed stronger than ever. Hyakkimaru hadn’t asked about it, and Jukai never talked about his past unprompted.

When he finally fell asleep, he dreamed of home. It wasn’t a bad dream. Despite all this.

* * *

Kaname awoke early the next morning. As he prepared breakfast for himself and his guests, he thought about what he was going to say to them now. Had it been wrong to tell the truth? Would he himself be happier not knowing it? He hated to admit it, but... probably. Then he should probably apologize, but...

‘You really think Bro doesn’t deserve your help?’ He hadn’t even noticed that the kid was awake. ‘Why? You already said it’s not his fault.’

He turned around to look at Dororo. How could he explain it so that a child could understand? He put away the knife he’d been using to slice some vegetables.

‘It’s not that he doesn’t deserve it,’ he said ‘To be honest, I _want_ him to get the help he needs. But I can’t do it.’

‘Well, why not?’

‘It’s personal, you see. I can’t just forgive and forget. I understand that Jukai is no longer the cruel man I hold a grudge against.’ Would a cruel man take in a crippled child and give him a chance at normal life, just because he’s the only one who can? _Twice_? ‘But to me... He can save a dozen lives for each one he has taken, but it will not bring my Dad back. He can replace a lost arm for every finger he has broken, but it will not undo my family’s suffering. So I won’t accept anything from him. Not even the skills he has taught me.’

For a moment the little boy sat in silence, his eyes closed, looking lost in thought, or perhaps a memory or silent prayer. Then he nodded.

‘I get it,’ he said ‘But then, why’d you let him live?’

‘Well,’ Kaname gestured toward Hyakkimaru, still asleep on the thin futon in the corner of the room ‘That’s _one_ reason right there. There were people who needed the old man’s help. I couldn’t take that away from them.’

The child grinned.

‘Exactly! This isn’t just about you. There’s people out there who need this technology. Why does the doc have to be the only one who can help them?’

‘Uh... ’ Kaname was begining to feel like a hypocrite, and the worst part was that it was specifically his desperate attempts at avoiding hypocrisy that had caused this. And anyway, wasn’t his skill with machinery just another thing he’d picked up working on artificial limbs with Jukai? And if he were to reject everything he’d learnt in all those years, what could he even do to help others or support himself?

Dororo shrugged, picked up the abandoned knife and began to cut the vegetables, casually, almost absent-mindedly, as though this was his own kitchen.

‘And besides,’ he said ‘you know how you can really show him up?’ He paused and looked up at the man. ‘You could try to make Bro’s leg better than it was before!’ Kaname wasn’t sure what to say. ‘Hey, if you’re as good as people say you are, it could be worth a try.’ The boy shoved a handfull of freshly chopped food into his mouth and grinned.

‘Hey!’

The noise finally woke up Hyakkimaru, who sat up and yawned.

‘Mornin’, Bro!’ Dororo called out cheerfully ‘You must’ve been real tired, huh? You’re usually up way earlier than me!’

Hyakkimaru all but ignored the younger boy, turning, instead, to Kaname.

‘Look, I get why you don’t want to work on ny leg,’ he said ‘and I’m not gonna force you to try. But could you at least lend me some tools, so I can try to figure it out myself?’

‘Actually, I’ve changed my mind,’ said Kaname.

‘Huh?’

‘Let’s take a look at it together, after breakfast.’


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here's some more cute interactions, and the conclusion.
> 
> Yeah, okay. I admit the title is a little silly.

‘What’s this empty space for?’

The boys were looking over Kaname’s shoulders as he examined the damaged prosthetic.

‘I think it’s where the acid for the squirtgun was stored. See, the mechanism is here and... here...’

‘A squirtgun?’

‘Yeah, it shoots liquids from a distance,’ Dororo explained ‘Not even a demon can take a facefull of acid without blinking!’

Kaname was mildly alarmed, just as he had been when he first saw the blade hidden in Hyakkimaru’s arm. He just didn’t know what to make of the hidden weapons. Was this the work of a father trying his best to keep his child safe, he probably wondered, or was it a sign that the old devil had not changed his violent ways completely? Still, he did his best not to let it show.

‘Did you help design these?’ he asked.

Hyakkimaru laughed.

‘I don’t even know exactly how they work.’

‘The old man didn’t teach you about that?’

‘No. I know a bit about herbs, but nothing about surgery or making prosthetics. My first few sets of hands were way too clumsy to handle all the details.’

Kaname nodded.

‘Ah. I’ve always been good with the delicate mechanisms.’ He let out a small sigh. ‘And I guess I never let go of that.’

‘Why’d you ask him that, anyway?’ said Dororo.

‘Huh... I just... Never mind...’

* * *

When the tension between the two of them eased up, it turned out that Hyakkimaru and Kaname had plenty to talk about. Dororo had been happy to join in when they shared tales of their travels over breakfast. For a while he had listened as they reminisced about people and places from their shared hometown. He understood that, although they had never met, in a sense they were practically family. And they had a lot of catching up to do.

But, now that it was already past noon and the two were still busy with something in the workshop, he was starting to feel a little left out. Of course, Kaname had work to do, but did Hyakkimaru really have to sit in there with him the whole time? What could he even help with, anyway? Of course, Dororo was welcome to join them in the workshop anytime, but after a while he’d decided to go for a walk on his own instead. Kaname had warned him about the thing in the woods again.

‘I know,’ he’d said ‘We’ll check it out together when Bro can walk normally again.’

So he’d looked around the village for a while instead. When he returned and knocked on the workshop door again, Hyakkimaru emerged, using only one crutch and carrying something under his arm.

‘What are you doing in there all day?’

‘I made something,’ the older boy announced ‘You see, I’ve decided I can’t let you use a sword...’

‘What?!’ Seriously, where the hell had that come from?!

‘Not until you’ve learnt how to handle one without hurting yourself.’ Hyakkimaru handed the younger boy a somewhat crudely-carved bokken. Dororo looked down at the wooden sword, then up at his friend’s smiling face. ‘Come on. We’ve got a little time to waste now. I’ll show you some basic moves.’

* * *

Repairs ended up taking several days. Hyakkimaru divided this time between talking with Kaname in the workshop and practicing swordfighting with Dororo.

‘He can almost keep up with me now,’ he commented one day at dinner. The kid snorted.

‘You’re hopping around on one leg and you still have to go easy on me,’ he said ‘But don’t worry. _Some day_ you’ll be an able-bodied man, and I’ll _still_ kick your butt!’

The day after that Kaname called Hyakkimaru into the workshop.

‘We’re busy out here!’ Dororo shouted back.

‘I’m sure it’ll only be a moment.’

‘I think I’m almost done,’ Kaname told him once they were inside. The leg lay on the table, all the pieces put back together. ‘You think you’re ready to have it reattatched?’

‘Sure. Let’s do it.’

‘Then sit down here and hold still for a while.’ Kaname picked it up. ‘This might hurt a little.’

A few minutes later Hyakkimaru carefully stood up and stamped his foot a couple of times. The sensation was like a downplayed version of regaining a real limb. He half expected to feel the floor underneath it.

‘It seems to be working fine. I guess I’ll go outside to try it out.’

When he stepped outside, Dororo was no longer there. He must have gone to look for trouble down in the village again, but surely he’d be okay in the end, and wouldn’t even sulk too much once he hears the good news. Hyakkimaru picked up one of the bokken they’d been sparring with earlier. Of course, the kid hadn’t put them away. He tried a few moves. Kaname watched him for a few moments before retreating back inside.

After a while Hyakkimaru set off down the path into the village. The nearest part of the path led along the edge of the forest. As he walked, he caught a glimpse of something moving in the shadows. He thought he heard, in his ear or in his mind, he could not be sure, something laughing at him.

He turned around, reaching for his sword. The thing retreated into the woods. He ran after it. The thing stuck to the shadows. It was hard to see exactly where, or even what it was. In a small clearing he got the impression that, even though he was almost sure there had only been one creature, he was surrounded. Every shadow could be the monster. He tried to focus on its aura, but it told him pretty much the same thing. It could be _anywhere_. It _was_ everywhere. Cornered, he stabbed at the nearest shadow, only to realize the sword he was holding was only wood.

He watched as the wooden blade seemed to sink into the shadows as soon as he let go of it. He grabbed his left wrist and unsheathed his other sword. It was his only weapon now. He slashed at the creature, which seemed totally unfazed by this. The darkness crawled closer to him. It attacked from his own shadow.

* * *

‘Is Bro in here?’ Dororo poked his head into the workshop while Kaname was cleaning it.

‘I thought he’d gone to look for you.’

The boy looked around.

‘Huh? He left his crutches?’

‘Oh yeah. I’ve finished repairing his leg. He’s testing it now.’

The kid beamed up at him.

‘You did it!’ he said.

‘Yeah. I did it.’ Kaname sat down on the floor. Dororo joined him and put a skinny arm over his shoulders.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘It’s just strange, you know? It’s like I worked with my master for the first time in sixteen years...’

The little boy laughed. Of course, he didn’t understand. Kaname himself wasn’t sure how to explain what he was feeling in words. Over the last couple of days he had been angry, oddly happy, a little guilty about this happiness. At times he had felt nostalgia for the good old days. There had even been a longing for a different world, where he had never learnt the horrible truth and instead stuck around to watch a child grow up, like a brother.

‘You did good,’ Dororo assured him.

‘I suppose I did...’

For a moment they were silent, unsure what to say next. Then Kaname spoke up. He had to say it to someone, just to put the thought to words.

‘You know,’ he said ‘When Jukai took me on as an apprentice, he didn’t say I’d paid off my debt. What he actually said was that there was no better way for me to repay him, than to carry on his work. He said there was only so much good he could do in one lifetime, and he wished he could do more. I didn’t get it back then. I was just a kid and I didn’t know the whole truth.’ Dororo didn’t say anything, but the way he looked up at Kaname seemed to convey something a child his age didn’t have the words to express. ‘But I think I get it now. He was never my salvation. I was his.’

* * *

It was no use. His sword went right through the demon, as though it was nothing, leaving no wounds. Most things he tried throwing at it disappeared into the darkness, never to be seen again. Nothing could hurt it. It wasn’t just something hiding _in_ the shadows. It _was_ the shadows. It was hopeless. How do you fight darkness?

A ray of sunlight pierced through the canopy and glinted off his blade. The shadows recoiled. How do you fight darkness?

He tried again. He caught the light and aimed it at the shadows. A small piece of the darkness disappeared. More grew around it. He needed more light. The trees weren’t very tall and the higher branches looked thinner and easier to cut through. The shadow followed as he climbed up a tree, but retreated, away from the light, as a branch fell down into the darkness below.

* * *

‘What’s taking him so long?’ asked Dororo. He was sweeping the workshop floor, while Kaname tidied up the work table.

‘I don’t know. He walked toward the village, so I doubt he’s run into the monster in the woods.’

The child stopped sweeping and looked at the man.

‘What is that monster, anyway?’ he asked.

Kaname shrugged.

‘Nobody’s ever seen it up close and lived,’ he said ‘It hides in the shadows. They say nothing can hurt it, but it’s more likely just hard to hit without getting too close.’

‘Ah. A tricky one,’ Dororo said in the tone of an expert.

‘Are you two really planning to - ?’

The door slid open.

‘Sorry I’m late,’ said Hyakkimaru ‘I ran into some trouble on my walk.’

Kaname turned to see his sillouhette in the doorway. The boy seemed to be carrying something over his shoulder, but he could not make out what it was.

‘Oh. Was it your ankle? I wasn’t quite sure I’d put it together right...’

‘Oh, you did a great job,’ Hyakkimaru said ‘Almost perfect. But,’ He put something down on the table. ‘It turns out I don’t need it anymore.’

* * *

For the rest of the day Hyakkimaru rested and recovered. Apparently, growing a whole new limb had been nearly as exhausting as ridding the village of its resident demon. Kaname had many questions, starting with ‘Has this really just happened?’ It wasn’t that he had not believed his guests’ story before, but seeing the evidence with his own eyes was still pretty strange. As the boys patiently answered all his questions, they joked and laughed, and generally seemed more carefree than before. He wondered if they also wished they could stay here longer.

They left the next day, early in the morning. Kaname gave them some food for the road and they spent some time saying their goodbyes outside the house. At last the two travellers turned to leave. But there was one more thing bothering him.

Kaname disappeared into the workshop for a moment and returned carrying the prosthetic leg he’d repaired.

‘Aren’t you taking this with you?’ he asked.

‘We don’t need it anymore. We travel light.’

Kaname exhaled slowly.

‘What am I supposed to do with this?’ he asked ‘It’s not like I can use it. Even if I could, I’d just end up with two left feet, and I think I’m clumsy enough on one.’

Dororo snorted.

‘Bad jokes as a coping mechanism?’ he said ‘Is it something about your upbringing?’

Hyakkimaru put a hand on the little boy’s head, gently steering him out of the way as he stepped forward.

‘Use it as reference or as firewood,’ he said to Kaname ‘It’s your call.’

‘Well, anyway,’ The prosthetic dropped from Kaname’s hand, as he reached out to embrace Hyakkimaru. ‘It was good to meet you.’

The boy returned the gesture.

‘You too... Brother.’

Kaname hesitated. He could not accept the man who had raised them both as family, but... _no_... he didn’t really mind _this_ at all.

‘Er... right,’ he said ‘Have a good journey. And drop by if you’re ever in the area. And...’ He hesitated for a moment, but now he had to say something. ‘If you ever see _him_ again,’ They knew damn well who he was talking about. ‘tell him...’ Tell him _what_? _Thank you?_ He was not ready to thank him! _I forgive you?_ Like hell he would! ‘Just... tell him I’m doing alright.’

Hyakkimaru smiled.

‘I’m sure he’ll be happy to hear that.’

Kaname watched the two travellers disappear into the distance. When they were out of sight, he picked up the artificial leg from the ground and returned into the workshop. He wondered if he would ever see them again.


End file.
